Another Loaded Gun Seized At Newark Airport; Tennessee Man Arrested

NEWARK, NJ — Police arrested an out-of-state resident after he tried to bring a loaded gun through a security checkpoint at Newark Airport on Thursday morning, authorities said.

A Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officer detected the handgun as the man’s carry-on items entered an x-ray machine. Port Authority police officers arrested the man – a resident of Old Hickory, Tennessee – and confiscated his firearm. He faces a potential fine that can reach as much as $15,000, depending on the circumstances, authorities said.

The 9mm handgun was loaded with 17 bullets, TSA officials noted.

“This individual told us that he took a bus to our area and was planning to fly to another destination from Newark,” said Thomas Carter, the TSA’s federal security director for New Jersey.

“Part of being a responsible gun owner is knowing where your firearm is at all times,” Carter added. “Bringing guns to checkpoints is a serious security violation.”

According to the TSA, guns can be transported on a flight if they are unloaded, packed in a locked, hard-sided case and declared to the airline. The airline will be sure that the gun travels with checked baggage in the belly of the plane, never in the cabin of the plane. Additionally, replica firearms also are prohibited in carry-on baggage and must be transported in checked luggage.

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